Document file-case



(No Model.)

G. O. WARD. DOCUMENT FILE CASE.

No. 568,646. Patented Sept. 29, 1896.

UNITED STATES LATENT Enron.

' GEORGE O. IVARD, OF FORT IVORTH, TEXAS.

DOCUMENT FILE-CASE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No; 568,646, dated September 29, 1896. Application filed February 1,1896. Serial No. 577,709. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE C. \VARD, a

citizen of the United States, residing at Fort WVorth, in the county of Tarrant and State of Texas, have invented a new and Improved Document File-Envelop, of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to construct an envelop forholding papers of various kinds and which is convenient and durable and can.

showing the first pair of flaps closed. Fig. 3

is a side elevation showing the first pair of flaps closed and showing the case full of papers. Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the combined brad and hook. Fig. 5 shows the case folded and fastened.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

The piece constituting the outside cover and flaps a a is made of stiff cardboard or other suitable material. The parts a c are attached to flaps-a Ct for strengthening the envelop. Eyelets 'y are put in one of the flaps a a and an elastic strap 9 is attached to the other flap, which is to fold on the outside. This strap 9 is provided with a combined brad and hook, which hook registers in eyelets y. This brad and hook and the eyelets 'y are inserted in both the flaps a a and the parts 0 c. Flaps b b are attached to the piece of which the flaps a a are parts by pasting or stitching or other suitable way. The inside flap b has eyelets a1, and the outside flap b has a brad d and hook m, combined for registering with said eyelets. These flaps b b are attached to the outside envelop from their inner ends to the dotted lines 38. An elastic strap g is attached to flap b. This strap holds the brad dand hook m.

It will be seen that I have constructed a 'file-envelopwhich provides for the increase adjustable to any size. Figs. v1 and 2 show the envelop about one-fourth as large as the envelop is to be constructed,.and Fig. 3 shows the envelopabout one-half as large as it is to beconstructed and shows the form of the envelop when containing a number of papers. The hooks m are held secure in eyelets 0c and y by means of the elasticityin straps g and g. The hooks mare made integral with the brads. In use the papers are laid on the parts I) b. The flap b, having eyelets m, is first folded over the papers. Then the other flap 1) is folded on top, the hook m registering in eyelets w. This secures the papers one way. Then fold flap a, having eyelets y, over flaps b b, and fold the other flap a on this one, registering hook m in eyelets y.

The back of the envelop is to be used for printing memoranda of the inclosed papers. In court-papers the number, the style of the case, the court in which filed, and the nature of the suit can be printed on the back of the case.

By providing both the inside and outside flaps with eyelets and hooks both the inside and the outside flaps can be adjusted and secured at difierent adjustments to accommodate varying thicknesses according as a greater or less number of papers are placed within the file-envelop. If a simple eyelet and hook be employed, the tension of the papers upon the flaps of the file where the contents are bulky or thick is "very great, and there is a tendency to place undue strain upon the paper and also to render the file unshapely. There is also a liability of the hook slipping out of the eyelets and thus letting the file accidentally open under certain conditions; but by providing the elastic straps there is always a pull upon the hooks against the particular eyelets with which they may engage, and consequently the liability of the fastening to become accidentally loosened or detached is overcome. Furthermore, these elastic straps connected to the securing means admit of a certain expansion and contraction of the envelop under varying pressures, so that all undue strain is taken from off the straps and envelop and the life of the envelop greatly prolonged.

It will also be observed that the inside flaps are secured to the main portion of the envelop between the side flaps and at a point back from the top and bottom edges of the main portion, so that for some distance back from both the top and bottom edges the in side flaps are free and disconnected from the main portion. This permits the inside flaps to accommodate themselves to the number of papers that may be placed in the envelop without the liability of the inside flaps being pulled from their connection with the main port-ion. It also permits the inside flaps to accommodate themselves more readily to the length and bulk of the papers in the envelop, and enables the contents of the envelop to be protected both at the sides and at the ends against exposure, while at the same time permitting the inside flaps to more readily and perfectly accommodate themselves to the bulk of the contents of the envelop without necessarily protruding beyond the top and bottom of the envelop.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The within document file and envelop composed of a body portion formed with side flaps provided with means for securing the flaps together at different ad justments, and foldin g end flaps secured to the main portion between its side flaps and back from the top and bottom edges of the main portion so that said end flaps will be disconnected from the main portion for a distance back from its top and bottom edges, and provided with means for securin g them together at different adj ustments, the securing means of both sets of flaps being provided with an elastic strap for holding the securing means together under tension so that they will be prevented from accidental disconnection and also permit the envelop to expand and contract under vary ing prcssn res, substantially as and for the purposes described.

2. The within document file-envelop composed of a bod y portion formed with side fold.- ing flaps, and having end folding flaps scoured to the main portion between its side flaps and back from the top and bottom edges of the main portion so that said end flaps will be disconnected from the main portion for a distance back from its top and bottom edges, and. means for securing both sets of flaps to each other at different adjustments substantially as and for the purposes described.

GEO. C. \VARD.

\Vitnesses:

GEO. W. AKERS, J. G. BRANNON. 

